; and so dexterously, that he obtained from the Bank of
England the sum of L10,000.

This huge robbery from Peter was not to pay Paul. Not a bit of it. It
was to try the fickle goddess of gaming once more--a Napoleonic stroke
for an Austerlitz of fortune.

He lost this L10,000 in two nights.

Did he despair at this hideous catastrophe? Did he tear his hair--rush
out of the room--blow his brains out or drown himself?

Not a bit of it. He 'set his wits to work' once more. He procured a
woman to personate General Tonyn's sister--forged again--and again
obtained from the Bank of England another large supply of ready
cash--with which, however, he 'went off' this time.

He was caught; and then only he thought of self-murder, and cut his
throat--but not effectually. He recovered, was tried at the Old Bailey,
and hanged on the 6th of July, 1796.

No doubt the reader imagines that the man of such a career was an OLD
stager--some long-visaged, parchment-faced fellow the OTHER side of
forty at least. Well, this hero of the gaming table, Henry Weston, was
aged only TWENTY-THREE years! What terrible times those must have been
to produce such a prodigy!

To the judge who tried him Henry Weston sent a list of a number of
PROFESSIONAL GAMBLERS, among them was a person of high rank. Weston,
at different times, lost above L46,000 at play; and at a house in Pall
Mall, where he lost a considerable part of it, three young officers also
lost no less than L35,000.

ARTHUR THISTLEWOOD.

It seems that the wretched traitor Arthur Thistlewood, who paid the
forfeit of his life for his crimes, had dissipated by gaming the
property he had acquired by a matrimonial connection--L12,000. An
unfortunate transaction at cards, during the Lincoln races, involved him
in difficulties, which he found it impossible to meet; and he fled
to avoid the importunities of his more fortunate associates. He was
afterwards known only as the factious demagogue and the professed
gambler!

FOUNTLEROY, THE FORGER.

Henry Fountleroy was a gentleman of rank, a partner in the banking
house of Marsh, Sibbold, and Co., of Berners Street. He was convicted of
having forged a deed for the transfer of L5450 long annuities, in fraud
of a certain Frances Young. Like Thurtell, Fountleroy defended himself,
and battled with the prejudicial reports circulated against him--among
the rest his addiction to gambling. 'I am accused,' he said, 'of being
an habitual gambler, an ac